Gilbert theater to present ‘Aida’

WINSTED — There will be much to sing about when The Gilbert School presents the musical “Aida” on Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24.“Aida” is the story of a love triangle between Radames, who is the captain of an Egyptian army; Aida, a young Ethiopian slave; and Amneris, the daughter of the Pharaoh.The musical is set against the backdrop of war between Egypt and Ethiopia and is based on an Italian-language opera written in 1871 by Giuseppe Verdi.In 2000, the opera was adapted into a musical for modern audiences by Elton John and Tim Rice. It won four Tony Awards. Gilbert theater director Allison Graboski said she chose “Aida” for her students because it is her father’s favorite musical.“My father is a Broadway enthusiast and he took me to see this show,” Graboski said. “These students have all worked very hard on this play. All of them have worked 12 hours a week from January until this month to put this play on.”Seniors Mark Joi, Jenna Mazziotto and Nicole Martin play the lead roles in the school’s production.Mazziotto fills the shoes of the title character. “It has been great to see everyone grow into their characters,” she said. “It has been a lot of fun taking part in this play.”“This has been a great experience for me, and I have met a lot of new people,” said Joi, who plays Radames.Martin plays Amneris, a role she said she wanted “ever since I saw the show.” The musical will be performed at The Gilbert School auditorium on Friday, March 23, and Saturday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the school.For more information, call the school at 860-379-8521.

Latest News

Housatonic softball beats Webutuck 16-3

Haley Leonard and Khyra McClennon looked on as HVRHS pulled ahead of Webutuck, May 2.

Riley Klein

FALLS VILLAGE — The battle for the border between Housatonic Valley Regional High School and Webutuck High School Thursday, May 2, was won by HVRHS with a score of 16-3.

The New Yorkers played their Connecticut counterparts close early on and commanded the lead in the second inning. Errors plagued the Webutuck Warriors as the game went on, while the HVRHS Mountaineers stayed disciplined and finished strong.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mountaineers fall 3-0 to Wamogo

Anthony Foley caught Chase Ciccarelli in a rundown when HVRHS played Wamogo Wednesday, May 1.

Riley Klein

LITCHFIELD — Housatonic Valley Regional High School varsity baseball dropped a 3-0 decision to Wamogo Regional High School Wednesday, May 1.

The Warriors kept errors to a minimum and held the Mountaineers scoreless through seven innings. HVRHS freshman pitcher Chris Race started the game strong with no hits through the first three innings, but hiccups in the fourth gave Wamogo a lead that could not be caught.

Keep ReadingShow less
The artist called ransome

‘Migration Collage' by ransome

Alexander Wilburn

If you claim a single sobriquet as your artistic moniker, you’re already in a club with some big names, from Zendaya to Beyoncé to the mysterious Banksy. At Geary, the contemporary art gallery in Millerton founded by New Yorkers Jack Geary and Dolly Bross Geary, a new installation and painting exhibition titled “The Bitter and the Sweet” showcases the work of the artist known only as ransome — all lowercase, like the nom de plume of the late Black American social critic bell hooks.

Currently based in Rhinebeck, N.Y., ransome’s work looks farther South and farther back — to The Great Migration, when Jim Crow laws, racial segregation, and the public violence of lynching paved the way for over six million Black Americans to seek haven in northern cities, particularly New York urban areas, like Brooklyn and Baltimore. The Great Migration took place from the turn of the 20th century up through the 1970s, and ransome’s own life is a reflection of the final wave — born in North Carolina, he found a new home in his youth in New Jersey.

Keep ReadingShow less
Four Brothers ready for summer season

Hospitality, ease of living and just plain fun are rolled into one for those who are intrigued by the leisure-time Caravana experience at the family-owned Four Brothers Drive-in in Amenia. John Stefanopoulos, pictured above, highlights fun possibilities offered by Hotel Caravana.

Leila Hawken

The month-long process of unwrapping and preparing the various features at the Four Brothers Drive-In is nearing completion, and the imaginative recreational destination will be ready to open for the season on Friday, May 10.

The drive-in theater is already open, as is the Snack Shack, and the rest of the recreational features are activating one by one, soon to be offering maximum fun for the whole family.

Keep ReadingShow less